


you're all i want (so much it's hurting)

by percasbeths



Series: songs that remind me of percabeth [9]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Friends to Lovers, IT HAS A BET !, a lot of yearning, cheerleader! annabeth, i dreamt this plotline up, percabeth, percy is soft, quarterback! percy, wrote this instead of sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:33:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25827490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/percasbeths/pseuds/percasbeths
Summary: annabeth chase has one rule: no dating. percy jackson thinks the rule is stupid.(title from "something great" by one direction)
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Series: songs that remind me of percabeth [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1763155
Comments: 33
Kudos: 331





	you're all i want (so much it's hurting)

**Author's Note:**

> this is for tumblr thanks for forcing me to finish this
> 
> (ps: soph i love u thank u for beta-ing!!)

_One day you'll come into my world and say it all_

_You say we'll be together even when you're lost_

_One day you'll say these words_

_I thought you'll never say_

_You say we're better off together in our bed_

  
  


**i**. 

Percy Jackson meets Annabeth Chase on his first day at Goode High School. He’s a new transfer, and there’s immediate whispers about him that he ignores. He’s trying to find his locker when he bumps into her, his shoulder brushing hers and causing her books to clatter to the ground. 

“Shit– I’m so sorry.” He curses, bending down to help pick up the scatter of papers that were all over the hallway floor. A female voice speaks up, “Would it kill you to look where you walk?”

He looks up, a stack of papers now in his hands, and he meets a pair of stormy gray eyes. He thinks they’re gorgeous, but she’s glaring at him and he thinks now’s not the time to pay a compliment. “I’m sorry,”

He stands, extending out the papers, “I’m new, I’m still trying to figure out the map.” He gives her a sheepish smile, his cheeks burning slightly. How was this girl making him this embarrassed? “I’m Percy Jackson.”

She’s staring at him with so much intensity, it’s hard to read her face, and she’s chewing on her lower lip. After a moment, she squares her shoulders, “I’m Annabeth Chase. Your name sounds familiar– Are you in any sports?”

He brightens instantly, a wave of relief passing through him, “Yeah, I was recruited to this school for football, actually– I’m the new quarterback.”

Her eyes hold a certain glint to them, and she gives him a slight smirk, “Then I guess we’ll be seeing a lot of each other. I’m captain of the cheer team.”

He grins, and for some reason there’s butterflies in his stomach from what she just said, “I guess we will.”

She side-steps away from him, preparing to walk to what Percy assumes is her first class of the day. As she does so, she pauses to peer over the class schedule in his hand.

“You’re first class is at the first left down the hall, two doors in.” She says softly, then gives him another small look, as if she’s still trying to discern him, “See you around, Percy Jackson.”

With that, he’s frozen in place and watching her walk away. He’s stood there for a solid five minutes, his brain reeling from the short conversation they’d had. 

  
  
  


**ii**. 

The second time they speak to each other is on the football field. It’s his third week at Goode and, besides their interaction in the hallway, Percy hasn’t spoken to her. She’s constantly surrounded by her friends, even in their shared class. He’s at practice, and while the football team has claimed half the field, it was double booked so the cheerleaders are on the other half.

Percy can’t stop staring at her– she’s in her cheer uniform, a small navy blue skirt and a navy and white top with the Goode logo on the front– and all he can focus on are her legs and how good they look in the uniform. At some point, she catches his eye from across the field, and he can see her shake her head and look away. 

“Yo, Jackson!” One of his teammates, and new friend, Leo calls, snapping him out of his stare, “Dude, are you here?”

“Yeah, sorry.” He responds, “Just– What’s Annabeth’s deal?”

“Chase?” One of his other friends, Jason, asks, and Percy nods, “Yeah.”

“Dude, no.” He responds immediately, “She’s not the girl you want to go after right now.”

“What? Why?” Percy immediately asks, finally tearing his eyes away from her to look at Jason, and Leo laughs.

“Annabeth Chase doesn’t date, man. Especially not football players.” Leo says, giving him a pat on the shoulder, “You should just get ahead and give up now.”

But Percy doesn’t want to. He runs a few drills with his team before his coach calls for a break, and Percy can feel his legs giving out on him. Percy falls onto the bench, pulling his water out of his bag and taking a large swig. As he does so, a familiar blonde in a cheer uniform approaches him.

“Percy Jackson.”

He grins, a small pant leaving him, “Annabeth Chase.”

“Did your mom ever teach you staring is rude?” She says, crossing her arms over her chest. He doesn’t like the way he’s looking down on her, so he stands in front of her. This way he has the height advantage, even if it’s just a few inches.

“Yeah, but I also can’t help but stare at pretty things.” The words leave him before he can overthink, and he expects her to blush, smile, or respond playfully, but instead, her gaze narrows, “Well, I want a quarterback who can get us a win.”

“Why do you think I was recruited, Chase?” He retorts, “They wanted a win so they called on me.”

“Hm, don’t look much like a winner.” She says in a bored tone, and Percy just shakes his head, “You’ll see. When Goode wins the first game of the season, you’ll see.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, Jackson!” She responds, turning to return back to her team, and before Percy can lose his nerve, he calls, “We _will_ win! I’ll score the winning touchdown, too.”

She pauses her walk, turning to face him once more, “Here’s a tip: Girls don’t like someone who’s conceited.”

He shrugs, giving her a lopsided grin, “It’s not conceited if it’s true.”

Annabeth shakes her head and walks away, and he returns to his team with a newfound confidence. He has to prove it to Annabeth– that’s a promise to himself.

  
  


_I want you here with me_

_Like how I pictured it_

_So I don't have to keep imagining_

_Come on, jump out at me_

_Come on, bring everything_

_Is it too much to ask for something great?_

  
  


**iii**.

When the first game of the season comes along, Percy’s getting his uniform on and Jason gives him a shove, “Ready to win this?”

Percy grins, giving him a look, “We already agreed I’m scoring the winning goal, didn’t we?”

He laughs and shakes his head, “You just want all the glory, huh.”

Percy laughs, grabbing his helmet and telling Jason he’ll see him out there before exiting the locker room. 

He’s on his way to the field when he spots Annabeth at one of their vending machines, and he immediately makes his way to her.

“Ready to see us win?” He asks, leaning against the machine as she slips a dollar in. She’s in her cheer uniform with her hair in a high ponytail, and Percy thinks she looks really pretty. 

When she meets his eyes, hers are shining, “Cocky, much?”

“Just certain.” He responds, and she presses a button on the machine screen, “We’ll see.”

“I’m landing the winning touchdown.” He says, causing her to raise an eyebrow, “Are you forgetting you’re on a team? What if someone else does?”

He shrugs, bending down and pulling the drink out from the bottom of the vending machine and holding it out to her, “I just know.”

She hums, “Good luck, Percy.”

Annabeth begins to walk away, but before she’s far, he calls out, “A date!”

He sees her pause, and she turns to face him. “Huh?”

“If I score the winning touchdown,” He begins, walking towards her, “I get to take you on a date.”

“I’m not a prize, Jackson.” Her response is curt, and he gives her a smile, “I know you’re not– Don’t think of it as you being a prize, it’s more like… self-motivation.”

“I’m self-motivation?” Her eyes narrow, and he nods, “A chance to spend a day with Annabeth Chase is a lot of motivation.”

Percy can see her cheeks turning red and for a split second her eyes soften, but it’s almost immediately replaced by her poker face, “I don’t date.”

“I’m not asking you to date. I’m making a bet with you: win, and we go out. Lose, I’ll… wear a cheer uniform for a whole school day.”

He tosses that last comment out, and Annabeth rolls her eyes but there’s a smile on her lips. She gives him a quick once over, causing small butterflies to erupt in Percy’s stomach. It’s silent, then, finally, she nods, “Alright. Deal.”

He grins, “Cool.”

Her eyes are shining, but she’s refusing to smile, “See you out there, Jackson.”

“Make sure to cheer for number 3.” He says, and she shakes her head, “Not how cheering works.”

“Then I’m just going to assume all your cheers are for me, then.” She’s already walking away, and she momentarily turns. She’s biting back a smile and that sight sends a surge of satisfaction through Percy, “Just ‘cause you assume doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“I know it’s true, Chase!”

She rolls her eyes, “Bye, Jackson.”

When he’s on the field, there’s a newfound confidence coursing through him and he needs to win. More importantly, he needs to score the winning touchdown.

“Yo, tell the team to back me up near the end.” Percy says to Jason, and he furrows his brows, “Dude, we’re a team. Pretty sure they don’t need to hear that from the captain.”

“No– I mean, I need to score the winning touchdown.” Percy responds, “There’s something riding on it.”

Jason looks unconvinced, but lets out a huff, “I’m trusting you.”

“I won’t disappoint.” 

And he really didn’t, because by three quarters in, their opponents only managed to get in one touchdown, meanwhile Goode was sweeping with five. 

When they reached the final huddle, Jason gathered the team and clapped his hands together. 

“Alright guys, are we ready to take this home?” He shouts, causing an uproar amongst his teammates. He claps Percy's shoulder, “This last touchdown we’re leaving to Jackson. I have no clue why, or what his motive is, but our focus is helping him out. Got it?”

There’s another cheer that goes around, and Jason has a wide smile from behind his helmet, “Alright, let’s go Centaurs!”

As he breaks out of the huddle, Percy manages to meet Annabeth’s eye. She’s on the sidelines with the rest of the cheer team, her pom poms flailing above her head. There’s a smile on her lips and when Percy mouths, “I’m winning”, she rolls her eyes but he also sees her smile grow. 

When he scores the final touchdown of the game, there’s a rush that goes through him as his teammates lift him in the air. He rips off his helmet, and he’s laughing as Leo starts chanting his name loudly from below him. When the cheers finally die down and the crowd in the stands slowly leaves, he makes his way towards Annabeth. 

“So, what’s your favorite food, Chase?” He asks, his gym bag hauled over his shoulder. He still has to change and shower, but he couldn’t risk missing Annabeth, so he settled for just taking off his heavy gear. She zips her bag shut, “You can’t be serious.”

“A bet is a bet.” He met her eyes, and he has an easy smile, “Unless Annabeth Chase is a liar who goes against her word.”

Her gaze narrows, and there’s a spark in her stormy gray eyes, “Take that back.”

“Favorite food, Annabeth.” He crosses his arms over his chest, and he sees her eyes move to his arms for a moment, but they’re back on his within seconds.

“Ramen and sushi. Anything else?”

“I kinda need your phone number.” He responds, and for a moment, Percy thinks she’s gonna punch him, but instead, she just holds out her hand. He pulls his phone out of his gym bag and hands it to her, watching her type her number in. Before she hands it back to him, she glares, “Don’t make me regret this.”

“I promise I will only text you the funniest content I come across.” He says, and he sees her bite back a smile. “Good night, Jackson.”

“See you tomorrow, Chase.” He responds, and she furrows her brows, “Tomorrow’s saturday.”

“And our date.” He says, and she tilts her head to the side, “What if I have plans?”

He shrugs, “Cancel them.”

She’s looking at him with a mix of amusement and annoyance, but after a moment she rolls her eyes and tightens her grip on her gym duffel, “Is there anything in particular I should be prepared for?”

Percy grins, “Just text me your address and leave the rest to me.”

  
  
  
  


**iv**. 

Despite the fact that Percy seemed heavily nonchalant and confident when he’d secured the date with Annabeth, he could feel his hand shaking as he pulled into the driveway of Annabeth’s house. She’d requested he not ring her doorbell and instead text him, so he stepped out of the car and did just that, waiting for her in front of the passenger door of his deep blue Jeep. 

He really wanted to not gape, but Annabeth’s home made him stare. It was a mansion, after all, and suddenly Percy felt extremely insecure with his run down car that his step-dad had gotten him as a sixteenth birthday gift. When he hears the front door open, he tears his gaze away from the rest of the house and fixes it on the figure exiting the home. 

When he meets her eyes, he feels like someone punched him in the stomach. Despite her hesitancy, she’s dressed in a pale blue sweater and a white tennis skirt with chunky sneakers– The perfect, in his opinion, first date outfit. Her hair is in a half up, half down ponytail style and there’s a white ribbon securing it that Percy thinks is adorable. 

Once she’s only a few steps away from him, he gives her a wide smile and opens the passenger side door for her, “Are you excited?”

He hears her laugh as she enters the car, and he shuts the door before running over and sliding into the driver’s seat. She’d already buckled her seatbelt, her small backpack/purse (Percy really had no clue what it was, honestly) sitting in her lap. “I’m more ready to get this over with, Jackson.”

“That’s not the enthusiasm I want to hear for our first date.” He starts the car, and from his peripheral he can see Annabeth giving him a glare, “Not a date.”

“Two people dressing up and spending a day together… What would you call it, Chase?” He knows he’s only making her more frustrated, but he can’t help it. They stop at a redlight, and he turns his head to face her. She’s shifted in her seat, her body angled towards his and it only makes his smile widen. 

“I call it me losing a bet.” She turns away, breaking their eye contact. “The light’s green.” 

He fixates his attention back on the road, “I didn’t know you lived in a mansion.” 

“I didn’t know you drove a Wrangler.” She shoots back, and Percy shrugs, “Second hand, gift from my stepfather. You, on the other hand, you’re rich.”

“My dad’s rich, not me.” 

“What’s the difference?” Even though he isn’t looking at her, his brows are furrowed. 

He hears her let out a sigh, “It’s not my money, I didn’t work for it. Yeah, my dad gives me an allowance and stuff, but still– Not mine.” 

“Your home’s huge though, so that’s a win.”

“House.” She corrects, and Percy’s left confused once again, “Huh?”

This time, they’re at another red light, so he looks at her. She shrugs, playing with the zipper on her bag, “It’s not a home. It’s a house. I just live in it, I don’t– It’s not a place that feels like home.” 

He has thousands of questions running through his head, but based on the way she answered he knows she won’t answer a single one of them. So, instead, he changes the subject, “Have you ever been to an aquarium?” 

“On a third grade field trip, I think?” She pauses, and upon seeing Percy’s wide smile, she rolls her eyes, “Please do not tell me we’re spending today in an aquarium, Percy.”

“Some of it.” He laughs, his attention focused once again on the road rather than her, which is a feat that doesn’t come easily to him. For some inexplicable reason, Annabeth sitting in his passenger seat seems almost natural. Her head’s rested against the seat belt buckle, sitting diagonally so she’s angled towards him, and despite the fact that his eyes aren’t on her, he can tell she’s studying him. Her skirt had ridden up in the process of sitting, and Percy knows that if he allows his gaze to wander they’d be stuck at a red light indefinitely. 

“Can I know where else we’re going?” She pulls him out of his thoughts, and he grins, “That ruins the fun, though.”

“Percy!” He laughs, pulling into the parking lot of the aquarium. He won’t say this aloud to her, but he’d forced himself to memorize the directions because he didn’t want to have Google maps on in the car. He turns off the car, giving her a smile, “Ready?”

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” She retorts, and he undoes his seatbelt, “That whole ‘I’m here against my will and am not having fun at all’ act is gonna get tiring eventually, Chase.” 

Before she can respond, he opens his car door. She makes a move to follow, but he interjects before he can, “Don’t you dare.”

“It’s a door! And not a date!” He ignores the protests and makes his way to her side, opening the car door for her. She shoots him a glare as she exists, pulling her bag over her shoulder, “I can open my own door.”

“I know you can. Same way I know you can pay for your own ticket, could have driven your own car and met me here, could easily beat me up if you tried–” She laughs, cutting him off, and it only makes him smile, “But just because you can doesn’t mean I’ll let you. My mom taught me better.”

“Aw, you get your chivalry from your mom?” She cooes playfully as they make their way into the aquarium, and Percy pulls out his phone to pull up the tickets he’d purchased last night, giving her a small shove, “Don’t make fun of my mom.”

“Is big, strong quarterback Percy Jackson a mama’s boy?” She teases, and Percy rolls his eyes, the tips of his ears burning. He ignores her, showing the screen on his phone to one of the employees, who lets them in. 

“I am the _biggest_ mama's boy.” He answers, the two of them entering the aquarium side by side. He gazes at her, and she has a smile on her lips, “That’s cute.”

He rolls his eyes once again, “Make fun of me all you want, but once you try her cooking, you’ll love her too.”

“Inviting me to dinner already? You move fast. That’s usually a third date move.” She responds, and once the words register in his mind, he pauses, “Did you just indirectly agree that this is a date?”

“What?” She stops, and Percy steps in front of her, meeting her eyes, “This is a date.”

“It is not a date!” She rolls her eyes, “I don’t think a bet prize should be considered a date.” 

“It’s a date.” He shrugs, a satisfied smile on his lips, and Annabeth narrows her gaze before giving his shoulder a playful shove, “Not.”

He grabs the hand that pressed to his skin and in one movement, intertwines their fingers, “Sure, Chase. Now, come on– Let me show you my favorite animals.”

It doesn’t go unnoticed to him that she keeps her hand in his. 

  
  
  
  


“You did not seem like the type of person to know a lot about marine biology.” 

It’s much later in the day and the two of them are in a small sushi joint, one that, according to Yelp, is the best one in their town. He grins, “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“Well then enlighten me.” She crosses her arms on the table, leaning forward slightly and meeting his eyes properly, “Tell me about the great Percy Jackson.”

He rolls his eyes, “I’m not ‘the great’ anything.” 

“You got recruited to Goode to be our quarterback, and your track record for touchdowns is solid. I also know for a fact that there are at least three big league schools trying to recruit you for college.” She states it all easily, and Percy raises an eyebrow, a smile on his lips, “Did you research me?” 

She shrugs, picking up her glass of water and toying with the straw, “Wasn’t me, actually. Piper, however, was curious.”

“Isn’t she dating Jason? Why not just ask him– I mean, he knew most of my stats before I even joined?” 

Annabeth’s cheeks have a slight blush to them, and it sends a thrill rushing through Percy. She doesn’t meet his eye, “Piper had motives different from your football stats.”

The words take a moment to register in his mind, and once they do, he gives her a small kick with his foot under the table, “If you wanted to know if I was single, you could have just asked.”

“I don’t date. Why would I care if you were single?” She shoots back, and before Percy can respond, their waitress brings their food to them, placing the various plates of sushi on the table. 

“So, are you going to actually tell me about you or are you just gonna ignore that question?” She changes the subject easily, picking up her chopsticks and breaking them. He mimics her actions, “What do you want to know?”

She shrugs, placing a few pieces of sushi onto her plate, “Facts about you, I guess. Where did you go before Goode?”

“AHS. Got expelled, though.”

“Wait, what?” She pauses, staring at him with wide eyes, making Percy laugh. “I didn’t do anything, it was a bad prank gone wrong and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

She hums, taking a bite of food. Once she swallows, she asks another question, “Tell me about your mom, since you love her so much.”

A smile makes its way onto his lips almost instantly, and he lets out a small sigh, “My mom is the best person in the world.”

Annabeth says nothing, eating another bite of sushi to let him continue. He picks at a piece of rice on his plate, “Growing up, we had it kinda tough but my mom– She always took everything in stride, even the things that would destroy most people. She’s one of those moms you see in sitcoms or tv shows: The ones that attend every event, support all your decisions, bake you something when you’re feeling sad. She’s that type of person, and I love her so much.”

He doesn’t realize how he’d been rambling until he meets Annabeth’s eyes, and she’s staring at him with an unreadable expression. He shoots her a look, “No teasing, Chase.”

She shakes her head, “I wasn’t planning to, Jackson.”

He picks up another piece of sushi, “What about you?”

“My family sucks. I think that’s enough.” She doesn’t elaborate, instead opting to take another bite of food. “Why did you know so much about marine animals?”

“My dad, biological one, was a marine biologist and ran his own nonprofit, small ocean conservatory program. He, uh, he died on a rescue mission and to keep his memory alive, I guess, my mom and I used to read about marine animals.” Percy pokes at one of the pieces of sushi on his plate, “Doesn’t help that I eat them, though.”

She laughs, “We’re terrible people.”

“Oh, definitely.” He meets her eyes once again, and she has a smile on her lips that Percy decides is one of his favorite sites in the world. They’re silent for a moment, then he feels a kick to his foot.

“I’m sorry you lost your dad. I get it– I mean, my mom walked out on me a week after my birth so it’s not _really_ the same thing, but um, I’m sorry anyway.” She says it all almost shyly, her voice low and her attention fixed on the plates in front of them. He gives her a kick back, “I’m sorry, too. Your mom has no clue what she’s missing.”

Annabeth rolls her eyes, “You barely even know me.” 

“I know enough.”

She looks like she’s about to say something in response, but instead, she changes the subject once again, “So, where to next?”

“Did you really think that would work?” He raises a brow, and Annabeth shrugs, “It was worth a shot.”

He shakes his head, a smile on his lips, “We spent the morning at a place related to my likes, so the next one is for you.”

“That explains absolutely nothing.” 

“Then just wait and eat your sushi.” He pauses, “The only hint is that it’s a longer drive than the aquarium.”

“We live in New York, Jackson. That helps with nothing.” 

“You’re not a fun date.”

“Lucky for you this isn’t a date.” She picks up another piece of sushi, and Percy leans forward, “Whatever you say.”

She narrows her eyes but says nothing, and it sends a thrill through him. 

  
  
  


“You really could have just told me we’re spending a day in New York City.” Annabeth points out, her arm brushing Percy’s as they sidestep around another person to continue their walk through the city. 

“Where’s the fun in that?” He shoots her a grin, “Plus, there is a specific place we’re going.”

“Oh, really? Enlighten me.” She huffs, and Percy grabs onto her hand, tugging her toward a crosswalk and across the street. They walk for another block, then Percy pauses. Annabeth follows in stride, her eyes shifting to the building in front of them. 

“Empire State Building?” She turns to him, brows furrowed, and he wants to laugh. “For someone who’s so smart, you’re not very bright.”

She opens her mouth to argue, but he cuts her off before she can, “You like architecture, right? That’s what you sent me last night, and I figured what’s better than New York City buildings?”

“Oh.” 

“Have you ever been to the top?” His smile only grows when she shakes her head, and begins pulling her towards the doors, “Today’s a first, then.”

“Wait, really?” Her voice comes out confused, and Percy laughs, pausing in the line and pulling the tickets that he’d purchased last night up on his phone. “Yeah. Did you really think I’d just asked you what you liked for the hell of it?”

The employee scans the barcode on Percy’s screen, then they’re ushered into the elevator. Annabeth shrugs, “I honestly had only expected you to maybe plan two things, not a whole day.”

Percy shakes his head, a small grin on his lips, “I got a day with Annabeth Chase– I fully planned to make the most of it.”

There’s an unreadable expression on her face, but before he can register it, Annabeth begins to tell him facts about the building and the conversation is forgotten. 

  
  
  


Hours later, Percy’s pulling into the front of Annabeth’s house, and Annabeth’s curled up in the passenger seat as she scrolls through Percy’s Spotify account. 

“You have a three hour long playlist that’s just early 2000’s pop music?” She laughs, and Percy takes that as an opportunity to take his phone back, “I said you could cue songs, not deep dive into my brain!”

“I was trying to pick something!” She responds, sitting up and making a grab for it again, but Percy rolls his eyes, “Too bad. We’re already at your house.”

She glances back, “The bet’s over.”

“You’re free.” 

She laughs, then meets Percy’s eye, “This was fun.”

“Did I do a good job at a first date?” He grins, and Annabeth rolls her eyes, biting back a smile, “This definitely wasn’t a date.”

“You’re still believing that?” 

“Good night, Jackson.” She makes a move to exit the car, but Percy grabs her arm before she can, “Wait!”

She pauses, “I can open my own door, I’m not–”

“I got you something from Empire State.” He cuts her off, and from his pocket, pulls out a small, metal keychain-sized replica of the Empire State Building. “I know it’s just a dumb keychain, but, you know… I thought you’d like it.” 

She takes it from his hand and stares at it for a moment, before leaning forward and pressing a butterfly of a kiss to Percy’s cheek. Once she pulls back, she meets his eyes, “Thank you.”

“Yeah.” He knows that’s a stupid response, but that’s all he can muster in that moment. She sits back, opening the car door, “Good night, Percy.”

“Good night, Annabeth.” He responds weakly, watching her exit the car. He waits till she’s in her house to drive off and waits until he’s a full block away and at a stop sign to cheer, fist bumping the air.

  
  
  
  


**v**.

From that day spent together, Percy and Annabeth become friends and click together. He’d already spent most of his time hanging out with Leo, Frank, and Jason, the three from his team that he’d bonded best with, and the four of them fall into a routine of spending their free time and lunch periods with Annabeth and her friend group, composed of two other cheerleaders, Piper and Hazel. That mostly came from the fact that Jason happened to be dating Annabeth’s best friend, but it worked in his favor, so he couldn’t complain.

“Percy, get your own fries.” Annabeth elbows him, and he laughs, shoving another one into his mouth. They’re currently at a diner, their entire group shoved into a circular booth as they celebrate Goode’s second football win. 

“I had my own. I ate them.” He responds, and she slaps his hand before he can reach her plate, “Then stop eating mine!”

“You drank, like, half of my milkshake.” He retorts, and she shoots him a glare as she eats another one of her fries. 

“So, Percy.” Piper breaks them out of their little bubble, an amused smile on her lips as she leans forward, “Last time you scored the winning touchdown, you got Annabeth to go out with you. What about now?”

Percy grins, “We didn’t place a bet this time.”

“That’s disappointing.” Leo looks up from his phone, where he and Frank had been watching a _Tik Tok_ he thought was hilarious. 

“He already forced me to spend a day with him, I doubt there would have been anything else to bet on.” Annabeth shrugs, picking up Percy’s milkshake and taking a sip. Piper raises an eyebrow, “Oh, there definitely _is_ something to bet on.”

“I don’t trust you.” Percy squints, then glances at Jason, “I shouldn’t trust her, should I?”

“Oh, never.” He responds, and Piper elbows him. He laughs, “Pipes, you cannot be trusted.”

“When’s the next game?” She ignores Jason’s comment, and Hazel checks her phone, “In a week there’s a scrimmage game, and the week after that has a proper game.”

“Do we up the stakes, ladies and gents?” 

“Literally neither of us agreed to this.” Annabeth responds, but Percy leans forward, “Alright, McLean, I’m listening.”

“You land the winning touchdown at the scrimmage, Annabeth goes on a proper date with you.” Piper challenges, and Percy rolls his eyes, “Our first bet was an actual date. Next.”

“Win the proper game and Annabeth has to kiss you.” 

“Piper!” Annabeth shoots up from her seat, but Percy ignores her, “You do realize you just indirectly prostituted your best friend, right?”

“I said she has to initiate the kiss– Technically, I didn’t.” Piper waves off, and Percy rolls his eyes, leaning back in his seat and picking up his milkshake, “I’m not agreeing to that bet.”

“Coward.” 

“Drop it.” Annabeth hisses, and when Percy looks over at her, there’s a steely-ness to her eyes that makes Percy certain she’s angry. Piper leans back, dropping the topic and the topic switches to their history presentations.

  
  
  


Percy agrees to drive her home, the two of them saying a quick goodbye to their friends before Percy tosses both her gym bag and his into his trunk before settling into the driver’s seat beside Annabeth. She’s already curled into the passenger screen and scrolling through Percy’s phone, no doubt cueing songs up on his Spotify. 

“I really should have never let you set up face ID on my phone.” He buckles his seatbelt, and Annabeth shoots him a smile, “You’re the one who entrusted that to me after knowing me for a week.”

“Remind me to remove it when I drop you off.”

“Don’t you dare!” 

Percy laughs, shaking his head, “I mean, since you asked so nicely.”

She gives him a small shove, and rests her head back against the window. She’s still in her cheer uniform, but she stole Percy’s letterman jacket and has it draped over her lap, covering the skin that her shirt cheer skirt doesn’t. 

All in all, he wants to kiss her, but he knows he can’t act on that right now. He pulls into the front of her house and turns off the car, but neither of them make a move to get out of the car. 

“Listen, about the bet joke–” Percy can barely start the sentence before Annabeth cuts him off, “It was a joke, it’s okay.”

“Can I speak?” He rolls his eyes, and she falls silent once again, “I don’t– I know our first bet was a date that wasn’t a date, but now that I know you, I won’t ever bet on that again, or anything related to that.”

“Oh.” 

“Yeah, oh.” Percy shakes his head, “I just needed you to know. I’d never do anything like that.” 

She gives him a small, shy smile, and pulls his jacket off her lap, “Thank you. And, um, for the ride.”

“I give you drives home everytime we go out and yet that’s the first time I’ve heard a thank you.” He unbuckles his seatbelt as she throws the jacket at him, a laugh escaping him in the process. 

“You’re the worst.” She playfully glares, before hopping out of the car, and he follows behind her. He pulls her bag out of the trunk and hands it to her. 

Before she turns away, he speaks before he can lose his courage, “For what it’s worth, I want to.”

She quirks her head to the side, furrowing her brows, “Want to what?”

“Kiss you. Go on a second date that’s not a date. Any of it.” He’s aware of the fact that his ears are burning, and he’s grateful for the fact that the streetlights are offering little to no light. 

“I don’t date, Percy.” Is all she says in response, and Percy shoves his hands in his pockets, shrugging, “You can not do something but still want to.”

“Good night, Jackson.” She turns away from him, but before she’s fully out of earshot, he calls out, “You know I’m right!”

“Mhm, sure!” 

  
  
  


When they win the game two weeks later, Percy’s being lifted into his teammate’s arms and carried onto their shoulders. Percy can see Annabeth on the sidelines with the rest of the cheerleading team, waving her pom poms as the rest of the crowd cheers. 

When the euphoria of the win dies down, he jumps into the locker room and showers, then finds his friends, immediately engulfed in hugs. 

“Dude! Winning touchdown again!” Jason claps him on the back, and Leo whoops, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Percy can feel his cheeks burning, but he accepts the compliments regardless. 

“I really hope your mom saw that.” Frank adds, and Annabeth, who’d been watching the interaction with Piper as she packed up her belongings, straightens, “Your mom’s here?”

Percy nods, “Yeah– She’s been on me about coming to a game for the past three, and she finally freed up a night to come.”

“Did she bring cookies?” Leo asks, causing Jason to give him a shove, “Dude, why would his mom bring cookies to a football game?”

“Can I at least go ask her for cookies?” 

Percy grins, “She wants to see you all, actually. Yes, that sounds like I’m 7 and not 17, but whatever– She also wants to meet the people she hasn’t yet.”

He directs that last part to Annabeth, who’s cheeks immediately flush. “You sure?”

He nods, clapping his hands together, “I hope you’re all ready to meet Sally Jackson. She will smother the hell out of you.”

And just as Percy predicts, she does exactly that. She spends at least five minutes praising all the boys on how hard they work, especially complimenting Jason on how well he’s been leading the team, and then coos endlessly about how stunning Hazel, Piper, and Annabeth are, and how absolutely adorable their cheers are. 

At some point, they all slowly excuse themselves to head home, their entire group opting against going to a party and instead making plans for themselves the next day. The only one that remains, however, is Annabeth, who Percy had promised a ride earlier that day. 

“Percy, I should get another ride.” She tugs his sleeve, speaking softly once his mom excuses herself to answer a phone call. He rolls his eyes, “I said I’d give you a ride, so I’m going to.”

“You and your mom want to celebrate, though– I don’t want to interrupt.” She argues, “I can call my dad, or get a Lyft, don’t worry about it.”

Before Percy can speak, his mom’s attention is back on them, “Annabeth, don’t be silly. We were just gonna pick up pizzas and head back home– You’re welcome to join us.”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude, Mrs. Jackson.” Annabeth argues, and she waves her off, “Sally, please. And you definitely would not be intruding. Percy talks about you a lot, I’m just happy to finally be getting to know you beyond his stories. His descriptions of you are also a little biased, so it’s nice to see you in actuality.”

“Annabeth, please find another ride home. I need to go jump off a bridge.” Percy deadpans, and she laughs, despite the way she’s blushing, “You talk to your mama about me, Jackson?”

He shoves her, causing another fit of laughter from her. “I really do hate you, go away.”

“You promised me a ride!” 

“I take it back! Get your own!”

“Okay, fine.” She straightens, turning to his mom, who had been watching the interaction with an amused expression, “Sally, can I please get a ride home? Mine bailed on me last minute.”

“Annabeth!” She cackles as Percy gives her another shove, quickly side stepping away from him before he can properly grab her, her bag falling from her shoulder and onto the grass. “Stop it! I’m cold and have no ride home, don’t attack me!”

“I mean, I guess you can get a ride home with me.” He responds, and Annabeth picks her bag back up, “So nice.”

“Shut up or I won’t give you my jacket.” 

“Did I ever tell you you’re my best friend?” She gives him a grin, and it only makes him roll his eyes as he tugs off his letterman jacket and hands it to her. She tugs it on with a small ‘thank you’, and when she looks at Percy, it’s another punch in the gut. He always knew he was much larger than she was, with broad shoulders and a head of height over her, but the way the jacket hung on her made him feel like she was the tiniest thing in the world. Her hands were hidden by the sleeves and the jacket itself fell to the same length as her cheer uniform skirt, and all in all he wanted to take a photo and frame it. 

Instead, though, he let his mom guide them away from the school, and somehow, in the two minute walk to the parking lot, Annabeth was coerced into actually coming over for a celebratory dinner. 

“I really don’t want to intrude, Sally.” Annabeth tugged at the sleeves of Percy’s jacket, and his mom responded with an eye roll, “It’s not an intrusion if we want you there, sweetie. Now, you two pick up the pizzas and I’ll meet you guys at the house.”

Once they’re settled into Percy’s car and he’s out of the parking lot, Annabeth toys with his phone as he drives in the direction of the nearest pizza place.

“Your mom is really nice.” Annabeth says, locking Percy’s phone after autoshuffling one of the playlists she made on his account. He grins, shooting her a quick glance before looking back at the road, “She likes you.”

“I like her.” She responds easily, and she continues playing with the sleeves of Percy’s jacket. “How does it feel?”

“How does what feel?” He’s pulled into the parking lot of a pizza place, but doesn’t get out of the car. Instead, his attention is on Annabeth. She shrugs half-heartedly, “Having a parent who loves you– Actually loves you.”

Percy wishes he had something to say, but he’s silent, and he hears Annabeth sniffle, “I told you how my mom walked out, right? Well, she clearly didn’t love me. And um, my dad– My dad never wanted me. He spent years after my mom left trying to convince her to take me, and then he just… gave up.”

She’s focused on her hands as she speaks, hidden under his jacket sleeves, and she lets out a small sniffle again, “He got remarried and I just blended into the background, I guess.”

She lets out a watery laugh, finally looking up to meet his eyes, and something in his chest clenches at the sight of the tears in her eyes, “You, um, you called my house a mansion, and you’re not wrong, but it’s so empty. I’m surrounded by expensive art and have a massive room and yet I can’t wait for the day I can move into a tiny dorm in college.”

She shakes her head, “I don’t know why I just told you all that. I shouldn’t have been a buzzkill–”

“I’m happy you told me.” He cuts her off, and one of his hands reaches out for hers, pulling her fingertips out from underneath the fabric, “I want to know every detail about you, Annabeth– Even the ugly stuff you try to hide. Your family, your parents, they don’t know what they’re missing, because you’re fucking incredible. I’m not even joking, you’re like the poster child of a perfect daughter: Head cheerleader, president of almost every fucking extracirricular, 4.0 GPA… You have it all, and you have the best personality to match. You’re also fucking gorgeous, which is a pretty great bonus too. It’s their loss, okay?”

She manages a small smile, which Percy returns, “You’re an honorary Jackson now, anyway, so I hope you like annoying movie nights and dinners, because I’ll be inviting you to a bunch of them.”

She reaches over the middle console and wraps her arms around Percy’s neck, burying her head into his chest. His arms almost instinctively secure themselves around her waist, pulling her closer to him. His entire body feels like it’s on fire but he ignores it, giving her a small squeeze instead. 

“Thank you.” She mumbles into his shirt, and Percy just holds her tighter, “I’m always gonna be here.”

  
  


_The script was written and I could not change a thing_

_I want to rip it all to shreds and start again_

_One day I'll come into your world and get it right_

_I'll say we're better off together here tonight_

  
  


**vi**.

Percy doesn’t know when he realizes he’s in too deep, but once that realization hits him he can’t quite get it out of his head. Maybe it was after that night at his house when she asked to borrow a hoodie because the cheer uniform was only so comfortable and she forgot to pack a change of clothes. Maybe it was when they, alongside the rest of their friends, decided to go up to Percy’s beach house in Montauk for the weekend and he and Annabeth curled into each other at the bonfire and he watched Annabeth burn marshmallows time and time again but still ate every single one she fed him. Maybe it was when she’d give him hugs the second she saw him in the morning at school, mostly because she wanted comfort after being with her family, but also because she said she thinks he smells really good and liked his hugs.

But the morning she shows up to school in his letterman jacket, he knows he’s absolutely _fucked_. Her borrowing the jacket had become extremely common: They’d be out too late and Annabeth’s outfit choices weren’t always appropriate for the fall-into-winter New York weather, so he’d give it to her. There were days where she’d forget she has it on, but she’d always just hand it off to him the next morning with a small ‘thank you’. Her showing up to school, however, in a black tennis skirt and a white shirt with his jacket on top was not something he was ever prepared for, and the site makes him feel like they punched him in the lungs.

“Good morning!” Piper greets, her arm hooked into Annabeth’s. That was always their routine: Piper picks Annabeth and Hazel up in the mornings and Percy almost always gave her a ride home. They’d all get to school at least 15 minutes before the first period, and most mornings someone would volunteer to pick up coffee for everyone. Today in particular, Frank had been their saving grace and showed up with two trays with everyone’s coffee order.

Annabeth slides into the bench beside Percy, picking up her coffee and taking a sip. She gives him a small jab into his side, “Do you mind that I stole your jacket today?”

Percy shakes his head, tilting it so he can look at her. Her cheeks are still flushed from walking in the cold and she has on a black beanie that only brings out the redness in her skin, and the sight makes his heart skip a beat. 

“It looks better on you than me.” He responds, shrugging his shoulders, and Annabeth hides her smile behind the lid of her coffee cup. 

“That’s an interesting clothing choice, Annabeth.” Leo comments, leaning on his forearms on the table. In front of him are both his copy of their Biology homework and Jason’s, which he had been copying since he completely forgot it was due today. Annabeth rolls her eyes, “Got a problem with it, Valdez?”

“Not at all.” He grins, “It’s just… Very more-than-best-friends of you.”

She falls silent, but Percy sees the way her cheeks flush and although he instantly changes the subject, it thrills him that the comment left her flustered.

  
  
  


Hours later, the two of them are in a booth in the diner, a now-empty plate of fries between them as they work on their Calculus homework. 

“Can I give up?” He sighs, dropping his pencil onto the table, and Annabeth pokes his arm with the eraser end of hers, “There are, like, five more problems.”

“Can’t I just copy them?” He pleads, a small pout on his lips, and Annabeth shakes her head, “Do it yourself, Jackson.”

“But why would I when my bestest friend in the world and smartest person ever will let me copy them?” 

“‘Bestest’ isn’t a word.”

“See? Absolute genius!” Annabeth laughs, and after a moment, she pushes her paper toward him, “Go crazy.”

“You’re the best.” He begins scribbling down the answers, a silence falling across the table. When he’s almost done, Annabeth breaks the quiet, “Percy?”

“Hm?” He peeks up from the papers in front of him, and Annabeth’s toying with the straw in her milkshake glass, not quite meeting his eyes, “About what Leo said–”

“‘Beth, it’s fine.” He waves her off before she can even finish the sentence, pausing his writing to look at her, “You don’t date, whatever anyone says just rolls off at this point.”

“Really?” 

He nods, putting down the pencil he’d been using, “Do I have the biggest crush on you and don’t bother to hide it? Yeah. Will I ever properly act on it? No, because you said you don’t date and I want to respect that. Leo’s comment made me happy, yeah, but I know that’s not where you’re at.”

She’s silent, staring at him with wide eyes and a blush on her cheeks, and he takes it as an opportunity to continue. He leans forward, “I know you don’t date, but I also know that whenever my heart is pounding because of you, I know yours is too. And I don’t know why you don’t date, but for whenever you’re ready for that, I’m here.”

With that, he picks up the pencil once again, leaving Annabeth to her thoughts as he finishes copying the Calculus homework. It doesn’t go over his head that she doesn’t deny the fact that she feels something, and he takes that as a win. 

  
  
  


When Annabeth calls Percy and asks if she can come over despite it being almost ten at night, he doesn’t hesitate to agree. However, it does come as a shock to him, seeing as they’d just spent most of their day after school at Jason’s house and he’d dropped her off to her house a mere two hours ago. Instead of dwelling, though, he pulls on a hoodie over his old shirt and tells his mom he’ll be right back. She’s already waiting at the end of her driveway when he pulls in, and even from afar he can tell she’s been crying. She climbs into the car and once she’s settled, his arms are around her and he can feel tears soaking through his hoodie.

“Hey, I got you.” He mumbles into her hair, and something about that makes her grip him tighter. They stay like that for a moment, Percy’s body uncomfortable angled in the driver’s seat so he can hold her and her hands gripping the front of her hoodie so tight that it’s tugging on his neck, but he doesn’t care. 

Once she pulls back, he turns the car back on and starts the drive back to his house while Annabeth curls into the passenger seat. It’s silent, with whatever song was on the radio playing quietly. He knows that whenever she’s ready, she’ll talk, because that’s just how she is. When they’re back at his house, Percy notices his mom had set out a spare pillow and blankets onto the sofa, almost as if she knew Annabeth would be staying longer than just a couple hours like she usually does.

He glances at the sofa, then back at Annabeth, “Would you rather my room?”

She nods, and the two of them head up to his room, still slightly messy from the fact that he’d practically ran out when she called. He picks up the stack of papers that were tossed on his bed, putting them back on the already messy desk as Annabeth takes a seat onto the bed, grabbing one of Percy’s pillows and hugging it to her chest.

“You okay?” He sits down beside her, and she nods once, “It’s stupid.”

“Nothing is stupid if it makes you upset.” 

She manages a weak smile that falls within seconds, her gaze focused on the pillow in her hands. She picks at a loose thread, “I got back and I guess my dad is in one of his ‘I’m an attentive father’ phases, because the next thing I know he’s scolding me on how I never told him I was going out, but it’s literally friday and my presence never really matters anyway, but yeah he just– He was angry, and I offered to help clean up after dinner to try to mend things but I stupidly dropped a bowl and that made things worse.”

Annabeth takes in a breath, finally pulling the thread off his pillow, “The dam broke loose, and next thing I know I’m hearing about how I’m the worst thing in his life, how I’m this fixed memory of the mistake that is his relationship with my mom– How he wishes I didn’t exist.”

She stops, swallowing, “I ran out right then and there, and I know he’s probably fuming and I have hell to deal with later on but all I wanted was someone there and usually I go to Piper but I didn’t want Piper, I wanted you.”

“Annabeth,” Percy breathes out, his hand reaching out to grab hers, “I’m sorry.” 

“You don’t have to say sorry, you did nothing wrong.” She shrugs, and Percy gives her hand a small squeeze, “Still, you deserve so much better. Your dad, he’s a piece of shit. I don’t even understand how that man is the person you came from, because you’re so much fucking better than that, and he’s absolute garbage for making you think you’re anything less than incredible.”

She’s silent for a moment, then her head falls onto Percy’s shoulder, “Thank you.”

He presses a barely there kiss to her the top of her head, “You know I’ll always be here, ‘Beth.”

She squeezes his hand in response, then he uses his free hand to pat her knee, “Come on, let’s go watch _Roman Holiday._ ”

“You said you fell asleep last time you tried to watch it.” She says, but stands up anyway alongside him. 

He grins, “Yeah, but it’s your comfort movie.”

She stares at him for a moment, then leans forward and presses a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you.”

His heart is racing, but he still manages to give her hand a squeeze. The two of them curl onto his couch and even though the movie absolutely bores him, the little expressions Annabeth has throughout it make it all worth it.

  
  
  
  


Whenever their practices tended to overlap, Annabeth and Percy fell into a routine: He gave the two of them a ride and they’d pick up whatever choice junk food Annabeth was in the mood for and spend the rest of their day at his house, either working on whatever homework he procrastinated on doing or watching whatever new movie dropped on Netflix. 

Today was one of those days, and when Annabeth climbed into his car after she’d finished showering and changing, she shoots Percy an apologetic look, “I know we were supposed to go to yours today, but my dad and Sharon need me to be home– They have a charity gala thing and Bobby and Matthew can’t be left home alone.”

Percy drives out of the parking lot, “Have they eaten anything?”

Annabeth shakes her head, “Bobby texted me complaining about his hunger at least five times.”

“Then why don’t we just hang out at your house?” Percy asks, shrugging. He spares a glance at Annabeth, and she’s looking at him with half-furrowed brows, “You don’t mind?”

“I mean, we were just gonna eat pizza and watch a movie– I think we can do that at your house, too.” He pauses, “I mean, if you don’t want me to come I get it I just–”

“No!” She says the word a little louder than she’d intended, and when Percy glances over, there’s a blush on her cheeks, “No, I want you to come over, it’s just– It’s different than your house. It’s quiet, empty, and it just doesn’t feel homey.”

“Then we’ll hang out in your room. I want to see how Annabeth Chase lives.” 

She gives him a shove, and he laughs as he pulls into the drive-thru of a Domino’s, “You need to stop being mean to me while I’m driving. It’s completely unfair.”

“I have my license, you know. I could drive instead.” She points out, giving his cheek a small poke, “That way you can be the annoying passenger.”

“I love you, ‘Beth, but I don’t trust you with my car.” He says, rolling down his window and placing the pizza order before Annabeth can defend herself. 

She stares at him, “That’s unfair! I’m a really good driver!”

“You never drive for a reason, though.”

“I never drive because my best friend and favorite person in the whole world offers me rides everywhere I need to go.” She points out, leaning forward towards Percy. He stares at her for a moment, before using his hand to push her face away, pushing back the fact that her proximity to his face made him want to kiss more than anything in the world, “You’re annoying.”

She laughs once again, and the sound sends another jolt of butterflies through him that he also ignores.

  
  
  


“Welcome to the Chase household.” She says, dropping her keys into a bowl by the front door as Percy enters, two large pizzas in his hand. The house is even grander on the inside than Percy had thought, with all white interior and decorations that scream ‘expensive’.

Annabeth grabs onto his free hand, “Come on, we’ll eat upstairs by that tv.” 

“You have two tvs?” Percy’s voice is awe filled and makes Annabeth laugh, “The living room upstairs is more for me, Bobby, and Matthew, but yeah, we do.”

He follows her up the stairs and she gives him a quick tour of the house, finally settling at the loft living room right by the staircase. She sits down on one of the sofas and grabs the pizza boxes from Percy, setting them down on the table. 

“Bobby! Matthew!” She calls out, as Percy sits down on the couch beside her, “Come get pizza!”

She opens up one of the boxes as Annabeth’s brothers enter the room, sliding onto the ground across from Annabeth and Percy. 

One of them picks up a pizza slice, then looks at Percy, “You’re new.”

Percy grins, picking up a slice, “I am, yeah. I’m Percy.”

“Dude, you’re the quarterback everyone talks about!” The other one comments, his mouth full of pizza, “I’m Matthew, that’s Bobby. You’re a legend to the middle school football team.”

Percy can feel his ears burning, and he swallows the bite of food that was in his mouth, “Uh, thanks.”

“Do mom and dad know you have a boy over?” Bobby teases, and Annabeth gives his knee a kick under the table, “You know they don’t, and he’s a friend.”

“Ooh, we now have blackmail.” Matthew and Bobby exchange looks, and Annabeth shoots them a look, “Percy is the one who got you guys pizza.”

“Well, that changes everything. Thanks, dude.” Bobby says, picking up another slice and Percy laughs, “Happy to help.”

They finish eating and head to Annabeth’s room, and she pauses at the door, turning to Percy, “No teasing.”

“You made fun of my old posters, I’m definitely going to tease a little bit.” 

She rolls her eyes, but pushes the door open anyway. She immediately makes her way onto her bed and falls onto it, then opens her arms, “Go ahead.”

His backpack falls onto the floor near her door, where she has a desk that’s covered with miscellaneous papers and abandoned sketches, and her laptop is propped open but off. Opposite that is her bed, with light gray sheets and a light purple throw blanket tossed on top, and across from it is a vanity littered with makeup and skin products. Her closet door is propped open, and he can see a small pile of clothes on the floor beside the laundry hamper.

“I didn’t expect you to be messy.” He says, and sits down on the bed beside her. She lets her head fall back, laying down and letting her feet dangle off, “I’m not messy. It’s organized chaos and it mimics my brain.”

“That’s a long winded explanation for being messy.” He mimics her position, turning his head to face hers, and there’s a scowl on her lips. She gives him a small shove, “You’re the worst.”

“Hey, your brothers seem to think I’m cool!” He defends, and she rolls her eyes, a smile forming on her lips. “They do, yeah.”

“Are they like your dad and stepmom?” He asks it tentatively, and Annabeth shakes her head. She grabs one of his hands and lifts them, pressing their palms together, “They’re the only good part about this place. They try to protect me, but they’re younger and are coddled more than anything.”

“I still can’t believe your dad is a fucking prick.” 

“Percy, it’s okay.” Annabeth intertwines and undoes their hands, and Percy sits up slightly, “No, it’s really not.”

Percy lets out a breath, collecting his thoughts, “You– You deserve so much better than parents like yours. I hate that he’s the reason you get upset, hate that you’re neglected when you’re the perfect fucking child yet they won’t acknowledge it. You just deserve better, okay?”

Annabeth is silent, her eyes wide as she takes in his words, and Percy is suddenly all-too aware of how close the two of them are. He feels her intertwine their fingers, “You make it really hard to not like you, you know that?”

“Annabeth,” He sighs, “I don’t even know why you won’t let yourself date.”

They’re so close he can feel her breath on his skin, and he knows that if he leans forward slightly, their lips would meet. 

Annabeth shakes her head, sitting up, “I can’t, okay?”

“Can you at least explain why?” Percy practically pleads, and Annabeth breaks their eye contact, her eyes fixing on her hands. A quietness passes over the room, and Percy waits for her to speak next.

“When you let someone into your life, they can walk out just as easily. When you date someone, you– You let them into you completely, and you show them every part of you, and that _terrifies_ me, okay?” Her voice is quieter than it usually is when she speaks, and she finally meets his eyes, “I don’t want to lose anyone– I can’t lose anymore people, and I know that the minute I let someone see every part of me they’ll run away.”

“I won’t.” Percy reaches out for her hand once again, and locks eyes with her, “I don’t– I won’t force you into anything, because it’s your choice, but if you let me in, I won’t ever run away. I like you, way more than I should, I think, and I know you feel something too and I don’t think fear should keep you from something that could be amazing.”

She doesn’t respond, and Percy stands, “Just think about it, okay?”

She nods once, and he gives her a hand a small squeeze before letting go and picking up his backpack. 

“Good night, ‘Beth.”

  
  
  


**vii**.

Percy can’t quite tell if that night in her bedroom helped or made things worse, but he’s grateful for it. From that day on, Annabeth becomes much more open with affection: Willingly holding his hand in the halls, resting her head on his shoulder when they’re at the diner with their friends, giving him cheek kisses when he drops her off. He really has nothing to complain about, truly. When it comes to Annabeth Chase, he’ll take whatever he can get from her.

It’s the night of the semi championship game, and Percy can feel his nerves at an all time high as he and the rest of the team don their gear. His hands are fidgeting, and he feels Jason clap a hand on his shoulder, “We got this, right?”

“You’re captain, shouldn’t we ask you that?” Percy shoots back, giving him a grin, and Jason laughs, “I mean, yeah, but you’re the one who’s gonna bring it home.”

Percy wraps his arm around Jason’s shoulder, “We got this.”

“That’s our QB!” Leo whoops, and Percy gives him a shove with his shoulder, “You’re annoying.”

Leo feigns hurt, “That’s harsh.”

Percy rolls his eyes while grabbing his helmet, “I’ll be on the field!”

As he makes his way to the field, he spots Annabeth at the vending machine, dressed in her cheer uniform with her hair half-pulled up, a white ribbon in her hair. The scene is all too familiar, he thinks, as he makes his way to her.

“Ready to see us win?” He says, leaning against the machine, and he sees a smile instantly form on her lips as she presses a button on the machine, “This time, I’m not doubting that fact.”

He grins, bending down and picking the drink up before handing it to her. She takes it from him, “Have any bets in mind this time?”

He shakes his head, “Nah, I’m just out there to win with my team.”

“No plans to score the winning touchdown?”

“I have nothing riding on it, so why take the glory?” He responds, and straightens up, “I’m gonna go run through warm-ups, see you out there.”

He manages three steps away, before Annabeth stops him, “Percy, wait!”

He turns once again, and she’s run over to meet him. She gives him a small, almost shy smile, “Score the winning touchdown.”

“Are we making a bet, or?” He furrows his brows, and she tilts her head to the side, “Something like that. I’m self-motivation, remember?”

He grins, nodding, “Alright. Yeah, I’ll score it.” 

He doesn’t quite know what she had in mind, but he learned a long time ago to never question her. She reaches forward, brushing a piece of lint off the front of his jersey, “Good. Now, get out there.”

“Are you gonna be cheering for player number 3?” He teases, and Annabeth meets his eyes, her own shining, “I always am.”

There’s a newfound confidence coursing through him as he runs onto the field, both from whatever bet Annabeth has and the way she looked at him minutes ago, and he approaches the team and calls for a huddle.

“I need you all to back me up for the winning touchdown.” He says, once his teammates have assembled around him, and Jason raises a brow, “Got a new bet riding on this one?”

“I just need to do it, okay?” He exchanges a look with Jason, and after a moment, he claps his hands together, “You all heard the quarterback– Back him up in those last minutes, okay?”

The game goes by fairly easily, considering the fact that it’s a semi championship game, and by the final few minutes Goode is ahead by two points. They’re in the final huddle, and once again Jason reminds them Percy needs to land that final touchdown.

Once he does, there’s a euphoric rush running through him and he’s pulled into hugs by all of his teammates, the cheers roaring in his ears as he rips his helmet off. His hair is sticking to his forehead due to sweat and he’s exhausted, but he’s barely focused on that, his mind fixed on the blonde cheerleader with a huge smile who’s running towards him. 

Before he can get a word in, her arms are around his neck and her lips are against his, and suddenly he can’t even remember his own name. His arms wrap around her waist and tug her closer as he returns the kiss, his heart hammering in his chest from a mix of her and the rush of their win. 

When they part, she presses her forehead to his, and her breath is coming out in low pants. “What–?” Percy breathes out, “What was that?”

She shrugs, “You won, didn’t you?”

He grins, and presses his lips to hers once again. He’s aware of the fact that their friends are whooping on the sidelines, and the fact that his coach had wanted to talk to him after the game, and that his mom is here and waiting in the stands, but right now all he’s focused on is her and how he has her and doesn’t ever want to let her go. 

When they part a second time, her lips are slightly puffy and she’s giving him the biggest smile he’s ever seen, and he feels like his heart is going to explode because she’s here and she’s kissing him and he never wants her to stop, ever. 

“What made you change your mind?” He asks, and it’s quiet amongst the loudness of the field but Annabeth still hears it. Her fingers toy with the hair at the nape of his neck, and she shrugs once, “I want to experience the ‘something amazing’. Well– That and I realized I can’t go a day without thinking about kissing you, and I thought I was going to combust.”

“Well, you’re better than me.” He tugs her a bit closer, brushing his lips to hers once again, “I can’t go an hour without thinking about kissing you.”

At that moment, he thinks, he knows he will never get tired of kissing Annabeth Chase.

  
  


_You're all I want_

_So much it's hurting_

_You're all I want_

_So much it's hurting_

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: percasbeths !!!! send prompts


End file.
